Standards for the 21st-Century Learner (for both 4th and 10th grade units)
1. Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge 1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions. 1.1.5 Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of accuracy, validity, and appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context. 1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry. 1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding. 1.2.2 Demonstrate confidence and self-direction by making independent choices in the selection of resources and information. 1.2.4 Maintain a critical stance by questioning the validity and accuracy of all information. 1.3.1 Respect copyright/intellectual property rights of creators and producers.
2. Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge. 2.1.2 Organize knowledge so that it is useful. 2.3.1 Connect understanding to the real world. 2.4.1 Determine how to act on information (accept, reject, modify).
3. Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society. 3.1.1 Conclude an inquiry-based research process by sharing new understandings and reflecting on the learning. 3.1.3 Use writing and speaking skills to communicate new understandings effectively. 3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use and assess. 3.2.3 Demonstrate teamwork by working productively with others. 3.4.2 Asses the quality and effectiveness of the learning product.
Health & Wellness Standards (4th Grade)
4.3 Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information and products and services to enhance health. This standard focuses on how to identify and access valid health resources and to reject unproven sources. Students list valid sources of health information, health-promoting products, and services to prevent and detect health problems.
4.3.1 Recognize characteristics of valid health information and services. 4.3.2 Identify resources from the community that provide valid health and wellness information.
Health and Wellness Standards (9-12th grade)
HW 3 Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information and products and services to enhance health.
HW 3.1 Assess how to determine validity of health information, products and services. HW 3.2 Utilize resources from school and community that provide valid health information. HW 3.3 Investigate the accessibility of products and services that enhance health. HW 3.4 Examine when professional health services may be required. HW 3.5 Select valid and reliable health products and services.
Information Skill/Inquiry Step
Evaluation (of information/resources)
While students in both grade levels will work through most of the inquiry process, the skill/step that will be emphasized is evaluation of resources. In Lamb’s 8Ws this would be within the Wiggling stage or in Pathways to Knowledge it would be part of the interpretation skill. Callison and Preddy note the levels of proficiency provided for the first indicator of the 1998 AASL Standard 2 “The Student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.” The first indicator is “determines accuracy, relevancy, and comprehensiveness.” The student should move from a basic level of proficiency, defining/giving examples of these ideas, to a proficient level comparing and contrasting sources to determine the best one. Finally the student arrives at the exemplary level when he/she can “judge the accuracy, relevance, and completeness of sources of information in relation to a range of topics and information problems” (2006, pg. 31).
In this unit I hope to guide the 4th grade students into the basic level of proficiency as they begin to understand the idea that some information is better than other information and learn to ask the right questions of the information they encounter. As students progress through the unit in a controlled or directed inquiry, I hope to enable them to move into the more proficient level. We will be comparing and contrasting sources as a class, and as students are able to they will be testing their own skills in small groups. As students prepare their projects, they will be making some judgments, although I don’t really expect the 4th graders to move into the exemplary level of proficiency at this time.
The 10th grade students should be entering into this unit already at the basic level of proficiency. We will be reviewing key concepts to ensure this base level. Callison and Lamb state that “Experts develop extensive knowledge that impacts the way they identify problems, organize and interpret data, and formulate solutions” (2009). As students work through this unit they should begin to demonstrate the ability to independently compare, contrast, and assess information resources. They should be able to begin to move into the exemplary level of proficiency by judgments about the information resources they are finding as well as laying the foundation for addressing similar information problems in the future.
This evaluation skill is evident in both the 21st century learner standards and the content area standards. Both the 4th grade and high school health and wellness standards call for students to be able to evaluate and then select valid health resources. The 21st century learner standards included for this unit that are directly related to resource/information evaluation include 1.1.4, 1.1.5, 1.2.2, 1.2.4, and 2.4.1.
Callison, D., & Preddy, L. (2006). The blue book on information age inquiry, instruction, andliteracy. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
1. Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge
1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
1.1.5 Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of accuracy, validity, and appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context.
1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry.
1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.
1.2.2 Demonstrate confidence and self-direction by making independent choices in the selection of resources and information.
1.2.4 Maintain a critical stance by questioning the validity and accuracy of all information.
1.3.1 Respect copyright/intellectual property rights of creators and producers.
2. Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge.
2.1.2 Organize knowledge so that it is useful.
2.3.1 Connect understanding to the real world.
2.4.1 Determine how to act on information (accept, reject, modify).
3. Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society.
3.1.1 Conclude an inquiry-based research process by sharing new understandings and reflecting on the learning.
3.1.3 Use writing and speaking skills to communicate new understandings effectively.
3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use and assess.
3.2.3 Demonstrate teamwork by working productively with others.
3.4.2 Asses the quality and effectiveness of the learning product.
Health & Wellness Standards (4th Grade)
4.3 Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information and products and services to enhance health. This standard focuses on how to identify and access valid health resources and to reject unproven sources. Students list valid sources of health information, health-promoting products, and services to prevent and detect health problems.
4.3.1 Recognize characteristics of valid health information and services.
4.3.2 Identify resources from the community that provide valid health and wellness information.
Health and Wellness Standards (9-12th grade)
HW 3 Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information and products and services to enhance health.
HW 3.1 Assess how to determine validity of health information, products and services.
HW 3.2 Utilize resources from school and community that provide valid health information.
HW 3.3 Investigate the accessibility of products and services that enhance health.
HW 3.4 Examine when professional health services may be required.
HW 3.5 Select valid and reliable health products and services.
Information Skill/Inquiry Step
Evaluation (of information/resources)
While students in both grade levels will work through most of the inquiry process, the skill/step that will be emphasized is evaluation of resources. In Lamb’s 8Ws this would be within the Wiggling stage or in Pathways to Knowledge it would be part of the interpretation skill. Callison and Preddy note the levels of proficiency provided for the first indicator of the 1998 AASL Standard 2 “The Student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.” The first indicator is “determines accuracy, relevancy, and comprehensiveness.” The student should move from a basic level of proficiency, defining/giving examples of these ideas, to a proficient level comparing and contrasting sources to determine the best one. Finally the student arrives at the exemplary level when he/she can “judge the accuracy, relevance, and completeness of sources of information in relation to a range of topics and information problems” (2006, pg. 31).
In this unit I hope to guide the 4th grade students into the basic level of proficiency as they begin to understand the idea that some information is better than other information and learn to ask the right questions of the information they encounter. As students progress through the unit in a controlled or directed inquiry, I hope to enable them to move into the more proficient level. We will be comparing and contrasting sources as a class, and as students are able to they will be testing their own skills in small groups. As students prepare their projects, they will be making some judgments, although I don’t really expect the 4th graders to move into the exemplary level of proficiency at this time.
The 10th grade students should be entering into this unit already at the basic level of proficiency. We will be reviewing key concepts to ensure this base level. Callison and Lamb state that “Experts develop extensive knowledge that impacts the way they identify problems, organize and interpret data, and formulate solutions” (2009). As students work through this unit they should begin to demonstrate the ability to independently compare, contrast, and assess information resources. They should be able to begin to move into the exemplary level of proficiency by judgments about the information resources they are finding as well as laying the foundation for addressing similar information problems in the future.
This evaluation skill is evident in both the 21st century learner standards and the content area standards. Both the 4th grade and high school health and wellness standards call for students to be able to evaluate and then select valid health resources. The 21st century learner standards included for this unit that are directly related to resource/information evaluation include 1.1.4, 1.1.5, 1.2.2, 1.2.4, and 2.4.1.
Callison, D., & Preddy, L. (2006). The blue book on information age inquiry, instruction, and literacy. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Callison, D., & Lamb, A. (2009). Information age inquiry: Expert vs novice information scientists. Retrieved November 6, 2010, from eduScapes website: http://virtualinquiry.com/scientist/scientist1a.htm.